Camera attachment.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.v

JULIUS KNUD LUDVIG THOMSEN, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFTO ADAM B. THOMSEN, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

CAM ERA ATTACH M ENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 713,177, dated November11, 1902.

Application filed August 20,1902. Serial No. 120,412- (No model.)

To all 'LU/tom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, JULrUs KNUD LUDvIG THOMSEN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie, State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Camera Attachments,of which the following is a specification, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawings.

1o The invention relates to improvements in camera attachments,andparticularly to an attachment adapted to move to produce stereoscopicpictures with any single-lens camera.

The invention has for its object to produce a new and useful article ofmanufacture adapted to simplify and cheapen the production ofstereoscopic pictures, as by the use of this pocket tripod attachmentthe double camera, which otherwise is indispensable for 2o this class ofpictures, may be discarded and the same result obtained through theagency of any kodak or single-lens camera in connection with the tripodattachment by which the camera may be shifted the predetermined z 5distance to maintain parallelism in its original and shifted positions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a locking mechanism forsecuring the device practically solid in its two predetermined 3opositions by simply pressing the camera down into position and which maybe opened by a slight pressure upon the mechanism when it is desired toshift the camera, thus providing against any movement of the cameraincident 3 5 to operating the shutter or otherwise and the resultingimperfect pictures.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will behereinafter set forth, and the novel features thereof dened by the 4oappended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation illustrating the principle ofthe invention; Fig. 2, a similar view of the pocket-tripod attachment;Fig. 3, a central vertical longitudinal section thereof; Fig. 4 a plan,Fig. 5

a central vertical cross-section, and Fig. 6 a

detail perspective, of one of the push-buttons.

Like figures of reference refer to like parts in the several figures ofthe drawings.

The tripod attachment proper consists of top and bottom flanged plates 1and 2, shaped alike to form a casing when in contact with each other.The socket or hole 8 in the middle of the top plate 1 is for passing thesecuring-screw 12 through, which holds the cam- 55 era 10 upon theattachment. On the corresponding place of the bottom plate 2 is secureda depressed lug or a boss 7, suitably threaded for fastening theapparatus on the tripod 11 by means of the usual screw there- 6o on. Theplates 1 and 2 are linked together by the similarly-shaped links 3, 4,5, and G, two on each side, and the parts thus connected together,forming a parallel mechanism, allow the plate 1 by the aid of the fourlinks 65 to be swung from one side to the other of the plate 2 when thelatter is fastened to the tripod. In Fig. 1 it will be noticed thetripod attachment is shown swung to the opposite side from Fig. 2. Thelength of the links is 7o y such as to give the two outer points `inwhich the camera can be placed the right distance apart for the takingof optically-correct pictures.

The locking mechanism may be of any desired character; but I haveillustrated here in a preferred construction for automatically lockingthe plates in their shifted position relative to each other, in whichthe lower plate is provided upon opposite sides and at 8o opposite endsadjacent to the pivots of the links thereon with flange-plates 13,adapted to cooperate with push-buttons 14, carried by the other plate,which buttons are provided with hooks 15 to engage beneath the 85 angeof the plates 13 and prevent the vertical shifting of the parts when incontact with each other. These push-buttons are also provided withguide-plates 16 upon their upper surface, adapted to bear against the 9cunder surface of the plates by which they are carried,and with anextended end 17, parallel with a similar end of the button upon theopposite side of the plate, the two ends being surrounded by andinclosed within a coiled spring 18, which by bearing against the hooks15 forces the buttons outward trom each other to hold the hooks incontact with the plates. Then it is desired to release the plates inorder to shift to the opposite posirco tion, the opposite buttons arepressed toward each other, thus compressing the spring and drawing thehooks from contactl with the plates 13. Each of the plates is providedat its end portion with a struck-up iiange or projection 19 for thepurpose of stiening the body thereof, while the links and latchplatesmaybe secured to the plate 2 by means of an open eyelet 20, passingthrough both of the parts, as illustrated. The push-button is shown inFig. 6 as formed of a single piece of material having the parts cut andbent therefrom with the head 21 applied thereto; but it is obvious thatit may be formed in any desired manner.

Fig. 1 illustrates a tripod and camera with the pocket-tripod attachmentas the intervening member. As will be seen by the dotted lines in Fig.1, the tripod attachment makes it possible to take optically-correctstereoscopic pictures with any single -lens camera simply by swingingthe camera over by the aid of the tripod attachment after the firstpicture is taken and then expose for the second picture.

The pocket-tripod attachment is, as illustrated, very simple inconstruction and can be produced at small cost. It can be made of anydesirable material, and its simple design with the before-mentionedparallel motion makes it of asmall pocket size, which is muchappreciated by amature photographers, as is also the fact that only asingle-lens camera or kodak need be carried, even for takingstereoscopic pictures.

It will be obvious that changes may be made in the details ofconstruction and coniguration and also of the method of securing theattachment: Without departing from the spirit of the invention asdefined by the appended claims. It will also be seen that thelaterallyshifting plates are capable of use upon any form of supportother than a tripod, which is merely herein described as the usual formof support.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claim,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A camera attachment comprising superposed plates one movable toopposite sides of the center of the other, and links pivotally connectedat their opposite ends to said plates; substantially as specified.

2. A camera attachment comprising superposed plates one movable toopposite sides of the center of the other, links pivotally connected attheir opposite ends to said plates, a securing attachment for a cameracarried by the upper plate, and a securing attachment for a supportcarried by the lower plate; substantially as specified.

3. A camera attachment comprising plates having side flanges disposedtoward and resting upon each other, and parallel links pivotallyconnected at their opposite ends to said anges at opposite sides of thecenter of the plates; substantially as specified.

4. A camera attachment comprising plates having side anges disposedtoward each other, parallel links pivotally connected at their oppositeends to said iianges, a depressed threaded boss carried by the lowerplate, and a securing screw for a camera extending through a socketformed in the upper plate; substantially as specified.

5. A camera attachment comprising a base, a link pivoted at one end tosaid base at one side of its center, and means for pivotally securingthe opposite end of said link to a camera at the same side of the centerof the camera, whereby a common single-lens camera is adapted to producecorrect stereoscopic negatives.

6. A camera or tripod attachment comprising a base adapted to be securedto a tripod, a part adapted to support a camera, and an intermediatemovable connecting means adapted to maintain parallelism of the camerain its original and shifted positions and to move said camera over thecenter of its base in its shifted position, whereby a common single-lenscamera is adapted to produce correct stereoscopic negatives.

7. A camera attachment comprising superthe center of the other, linkspivotally connected at their opposite ends to said plates, and means forautomatically locking the plates in each of their shifted positions;substantially as specified.

8. A camera attachment comprising superposed plates one movable toopposite sides of the center of the other, links pivotally connected attheir opposite ends to said plates, means for automatically locking theplates in each of their shifted positions, and means for releasing thelocking mechanism carried by the camera-supporting plate; substantiallyas specified.

9. A camera attachment comprising superposed plates,links pivotallyconnected at their opposite ends to said plates, a flange lockingplatecarried by one plate, and a sliding pushbutton carried by the oppositeplate to engage said locking plate; substantially as specified.

10. Acamera attachmentcomprising superposed plates,links pivotallyconnected at their opposite ends to said plates, a flange lockingplatecarried by one plate, a sliding pushbutton carried by the opposite plateto engage said locking-plate, guide-lugs upon one face of saidpush-button to bear against the body of the plate by which it iscarried, and a spring for normally projecting said pushbutton outwardfrom the plate; substantially as specified.

11. Acameraattachmentcomprisingsuperposed plates,links pivotallyconnected at their opposite ends to said plates, a flange lockingplatecarried by one plate, a sliding pushbutton carried by the opposite plateto engage said locking-plate, guide-lugs lupon one face of saidpush-button to bear against the body of the plate by which it iscarried, and a spring for normally projecting said pushposed plates onemovable to opposite sides of IOO IIO

ed at its opposite ends, a supporting-plate upon which locking-platesare mounted at opposite ends, and links pivotally connected at theiropposite ends to said camera-holding plate, said supporting-plate, thepush-buttons and locking-plates being mounted at the pivotal points ofconnection with said links; substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JULIUS KNUD LUDVIG- THOMSEX.

Witnesses:

IRvIN S. CALHOUN, GEORGE Cook.

